January 27, 2006

Saints Allocate Players to Developmental League

The Saints, like all NFL teams have allocated players to the NFL Europe developmental league. Some of the players are former training campers who were with the Saints last season, and some were signed just recently and shipped overseas.

Topping the list is LB Russell Rabe, who signed with Saints as an undrafted free agent out of Minnesota-Duluth after the 2005 NFL Draft. Rabe was selected in the third round of the six-team draft by the Hamburg Sea Devils.

Tackle Brandon Phillips, who wore #76 in training camp last year with the Saints, signed with the team out of the University of Arizona for a short time during camp. The 6'8, 310 pound offensive lineman was drafted in the 11th round by the Berlin Thunder.

Runningback Jamaal Branch out of Colgate signed with the Saints and was drafted by the Rhein Fire in the 17th round of the allocated player draft.

Not drafted but directly allocated were also:

WR Lance Moore, Toledo: Signed with the Saints after the 2005 NFL Draft as an undrafted free agent. He will join Phillips in Berlin.

OL Augie Hoffman, Boston College: Has been with the Saints the past two offseasons after signing with the team as an undrafted free agent in 2004. Has seen some time on the practice squad. He will join Rabe in Hamburg.

Former Saints in NFL Europe that might make the developmental overseas league interesting:

CB Matt Clark, UCLA: Not allocated by the Saints, but picked up by the league. Clark signed with the Saints after the 2005 Draft as an undrafted rookie and was drafted in the 10th round of the free agent draft.

QB Kliff Kingsbury, Texas Tech: Was with the Saints in camp and training camp until last season when he lost the #3 job to Adrian McPherson in the 2005 training camp. Kingsbury will play for Cologne, after being allocated by the Jets, who signed him after the Saints dropped him last preseason.

QB Tory Woodbury, Winston-Salem: Another former Saints and Voodoo quarterback will challenge Kingsbury in Cologne, after being allocated by the Bills.

T Jared Peck, ND State: Really testing your memory here. Peck was with the Saints in training camp in 2002 and will also play for Cologne.

OL Nick Steitz, Oregon: Another Saints training camp body in 2005, Steitz was allocated by the Patriots and was drafted by the Rhein Fire.

S Chonn Lacey, Temple: Another memory tester, Lacey was signed by the Saints after the 2002 draft and cut in camp. He was allocated by the Seahawks and will play for Hamburg.

K Nick Setta, Notre Dame: Another camp body in 2005, Setta was allocated by the Bills. NFL Europe distributes kickers and punters out to teams at a later date.